Dumbledore Costume

This may be my favorite costume I've made my kids, ever. Well, maybe second best--last year's Captain Smith, of Titanic fame, is up there, too.

My kids are going through a definite Harry Potter phase.  J wanted to be Dumbledore for Halloween this year, which I think is awesome.  I mean, every kid wants to be Harry, but how many do you know who have dressed up as Dumbledore, the awesomest wizard ever?

Using this photo as inspiration, I created a Dumbledore costume.

For the robe, I bought some cheap gray broadcloth at Walmart and traced a robe shape around J's body as he laid on top of the fabric.  I cut it out and sewed the back to the front, adding trim along the front and sleeves.  Though you can't see it, the front has a frog-type button clasp to hold it closed.

I'm pretty proud of the beard and hair.  Last year I made a beard out of felt for the Capt. Smith costume, but I wanted this one to be more flowey.  I thought of batting, but it wasn't quite what I wanted.  Instead, I used one of those fake spiderwebs they sell with the Halloween decorations!  Rather than stretching it out into a spider web, as it's meant for, I cut it into lengths and stretched it just wide enough to be hair-like.  I sewed the beard and mustache to a felt base, which ties around his head (and over his ears) with ribbon.  The hair is sewn onto the hat.

For the hat, I just sewed a length of fabric to a circle roughly the size of the top of J's head.  I trimmed it, of course, and even made a little tassel for the top out of a few inches of fringe that I bought in the trim section at Walmart.

Total cost?  About $10.  Cuteness factor?  Priceless.